Washing machine



July '13, 1937.

E. J. CULLIGAN WASHING MACHINE Filed NOV. 6, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 July 13, 1937. 'E. J. CULLIGAN 2,086,606

WASHING MACHINE Filed Nov. 6, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 13, 1937.

UNITED STATES' PATENT OFFICE Application November 6, 1935, Serial No. 48,467

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to an improved form of washing machine so constructed as to include, as an integral part thereof, water softening means whereby it becomes possible to associate with the ordinary type of home washin machine zeolite or other base-exchange type of water softening means without duly increasing the overall dimensions of the machine. It also provides extremely simple means for accom- 10 plishing the desired softening of hard water as Well as simple means for regenerating the baseexchange material when necessary.

In its broadest aspects the invention comprises a washing machine consisting of a tank provided with double walls, whereby a space is provided for containing base-exchange water-softening material, together with means for admitting water from an outside source into this space, and

means for discharging the water, after being softened, from the space into the interior of the tank.

A number of modifications of the washing machine are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. l is an elevational side view partly in section, showing one form of the device, in which the hard water is admitted into the upper part of the jacket;

Fi 2 is a bottom view of the device shown in Fig. 1, also partly in section;

Fig. 3 is an elevational side view of another form ocl' the machine, also partly in section; and

Fig. 4 is still another form of the machine, the view being in all respects similar to Figs. 1, 3,

and 4.

The main object to be accomplished by the present invention is to provide a washing machine having a jacket thereabout which preferably and in its simplest form may be an an- 4o nular jacket, providing a space which is bounded on one side by the wall of the washing compartment or space and on the other side by the outer, concentric, cylindrical shell. It is of course also within contemplation of the invention that this shell may extend across the bottom or most of the bottom of the tank, providing additional space for the water-softening material. It is also to be understood that the jacket need not surround the entire machine; for example, it may terminate after surrounding, say, 270 of the machine, so as to provide space for the attachment of a wringer or for alignment of the machine with a wash tub or tubs of usual construction into which the wringer may discharge the washed clothes for rinsing and bluing. Such details, however, are clearly within the skill of those versed in the art of constructing washing machines and hence are not illustrated, the illustrations and description being confined to the tessential and novel features of the present invenion.

Referring for the moment to Fig. 1, it will be seen that the machine comprises a tank or washing compartment l 0 which is substantially cylindrical in shape. Within this there is contained and shown, purely diagrammatically, an agitator or dolly ll, this forming no part of the present invention and being of standard construction. A cover I2 is also shown but is not an essential part of the invention and hence may be omitted if desired. However, for the purpose of conserving the heat of the washing-water and to prevent the overflow of suds and the splashing about of Water into the surrounding space, such a cover is usually provided and. kept in place during the operation of the agitator ll.

Surrounding the tank I0 ,there is a shell [3 which thus provides a space M which may be either annular or partly annular, as already indicated. Contained within the space M are granules or particles of inert material I5 which may be gravel, sand, pumice, slag, or even glass beads. This inert material fills but a small portion of the space M. Within it is embedded a pipe l6 which is perforated or slotted so as to 'allow water to flow freely in and out of the pipe. As shown in Fig. 2, this pipe is preferably circular and placed centrally within the annular space, although the construction is by no means to be limited to this particular shape. As shown in Fig. 1, a water-conducting pipe I! is' connected by means of an elbow IB with the pipe l6, this pipe leading upwardly within the space I 4 and terminating in an outlet 19 which communicates with the interior of the tank l0. About two-thirds of the remaining space I4 is filled with granular base-exchange material such as zeolite granules 20.

The jacket constituted of the walls of the tank l0 and shell I3 is closed, so as to be resistant to internal pressure, by means of a cap 2|, which may be a screw cap or may be made in the form of a bayonet joint which is surmounted by and attached to an elbow and a coupling 23 so as to form a connection with a water hose or pipe 24.

The tank I0 is also provided at thereof with a drain plug 25.

When operating the device as just described in connection with Fig. 1, water is passed through the bottom the hose or pipe 24 into the space I4 so that it will flow down through the granules 20 and through the gravel or other'inert material l5, eventually escaping through the slotted pipe l6 and the vertical pipe l1, finally discharging through the outlet 19 into the interior of the washer. When sufficient water has been admitted so that the machine is filled to the desired level, the clothes to be washed are introduced, the cover put in place, and the agitator set in motion, whereupon the washing proceeds in the usual manner. After the required period of operation, the agitator is stopped, the cover removed, and the clothes lifted therefrom and wrung out in the customary manner.

With a machine, for example, 24 inches in internal diameter having a jacket 2 inches in diameter, thus providing a machine the overall dimension of which is 28 inches, a jacket with an interior volume of about 1650 cubic inches will thus be provided. Between 35 and 45 pounds of zeolite granules will fill the jacket about twothirds, this amount being sufficient for softening a large quantity of water. Therefore, it'is not necessary to regenerate the zeolite during the course of washing the average family wash.

When, however, the zeolite granules have lost their efficacy as a result of their base-exchanging proclivities, they may be regenerated, by means of common salt (sodium chloride), by removing the cap 2| and placing 3 or 4 pounds of salt into the empty space l4, whereupon water is poured into the machine so as to dissolve the salt, form-' ing a salt solution which percolates down through the granules and fills the space It to such an extent that it will not overflow through the pipe I! and outlet I9. This salt water is then allowed to remain in contact with the granules for about an hour but can remain in contact with it until the machine is to be used subsequently. In order to remove the salt water, the cap 2| is again put into place and water is allowed to run in through the pipe 24, driving the salt water ahead of it and out through the pipes I6 and I1, and through the outlet l9 into the tank Ill. The drain cock 25 is opened so that the salt water will flow out through the plug, being discharged into a pail or sewer until clear water, free from salt, issues from the pipe 19, after which, when the tank has been drained, the plug 25 is closed, whereupon the machine may again be filled with softened water so as to be ready for a second operation.

It will thus be seen that the operation is extremely simple and fully within the compreh ension and ability of a housewife or servant even though she be quite unfamiliar with the otherwise "complicated water-softening devices hitherto on the market.

By providing an annular space for housing the zeolite, a great deal of space is saved, this being of particular advantage in using such machines in modern homes and apartments.

In Fig. 2 there is .illustrated the disposition of the pipe l6 and the granules .l5 in the bottom of 5 the device as shown in Fig. 1. It should be understood that so far as the arrangement of the pipe is concerned, this is entirely similar in Figs. 3 and 4, and hence no bottom view of the latter two figures is shown.

Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that this is a modification of the device disclosed in Fig. 1.

In this type of construction the annular space II.

confines the' zeolite granules 20 which are contained in the space It. Inert granular material I5 is provided in exactly the same manner as shown in Fig. 1, there also being a. perforated pipe Hi. This pipe however, instead of being con nected with the riser pipe I1, is provided with a valve 28 which has a stem 29 which passes through the zeolite granules and extends slightly above the upper limits of the machine. This valve 28 is connected by means of a nipple 30 with the interior of the tank Ill so as to form a water outlet 3l which admits water to the bottom of the tank ID. -A drain cook 25 is provided at the bottom of the tank II]. In using this type of machine, water is merely poured by means of a bucket, hose or otherwise into the upper empty portion of the space M, the valve 28 being closed until the water fills the space M to a point slightly above the perforated annular member 21. After a few minutes time the valve is opened by turning the handle 29 in the appropriate direc-. tion, which in this case is counterclockwise, so as to permit water to flow from the annular space into the tank. At the same time additional water is delivered into the space M until the tank 10 is filled to the desired operating level, whereupon the valve 28 is closed by turning the handle 29 in a clockwise direction. The washing then proceeds in exactly the same manner as already described.

When regenerating the zeolite crystals 20, this is accomplished by pouring salt onto the foraminous member 21 and pouring water thereover until the salt water thus formed fills the space about the granules 20, the valve 28 being closed.

When the machine is next to be'used, the valve 28 is opened and the salt water is allowed to flow into the tank Ill and out of the open drain cook 25. After the salt water has thus been discharged, the operation of filling'the tank, as just described, is repeated, and the machine is then ready for a second washing operation. The tyne of machine illustrated in Fig. 3 is particularly suitable for use on farms and outlying regions where running water is not available, but wherever running water is available, the modification shown in Fig. 1 is to be preferred.

' Referring to Fig. 4, this is a modification of the device shown in Fig. 1 in that here the perforated pipe I6 is connected with a supply of water which flows through a pipe 24 which in this case is located at the bottom of the jacket instead of at the top. The cap 2| in this type of construction hence is solid and does not contain the water inlet connection. A valve 32 serves to control the water supply coming from the pipe Thus the water, after flowing upwardly through the zeolite granules 20 will cascade behind the flange 34 and will flow into the tank ID. The flow of water thus is in the reverse direction of that shown in Fig. 1, but the water enters the top of the tank just as it does in Fig. 1. This type of construction is somewhat simpler than that in Fig. 1, as it obviates the necessity for the pipe i'l. Furthermore, thesflow of water behind the flange may be more rapid than through thepipe ii, in which, of course, the speed of the water is limited by the capacity of the said pipe.

In regenerating the granules in a construction such as shown in 4, the salt is introduced through the cap 28', whereupon water is allowed to flow into the machine until the water just begins to overflow behind the flange 34, after which the valve 32 is closed and the salt water allowed to remain in contact with the granules for the required amount of time.

When the machine is again to be used, the valve 32 is opened and water admitted and permitted to overflow into the tank 90, being discharged through the open drain cock 25 until the salt water has been eliminated and fresh 20 softened water appears at the flanges, whereupon the drain cock is closed and the machine filled to the operating level, so that the washing operations may be repeated. a

Mechanical modifications of the invention herein disclosed are to be construed as within the scope of the invention.

I claim: V I

1. A washing machine comprising a tank, an

annular jacket concentric, therewith, a bed of gravel in the lower part 'of said jacket, zeolite granules partly filling the remaining space in said jacket, means for closing said jacket to rein.

der it resistant to internal pressure, means'for introducing water into the upper end of the jacket, a. perforated pipe embedded in the gravel, a pipe connected with said perforated pipe and passing through the zeolite granules, and an outlet for sad pipe for directing water into the tank.

2. A washing machine comprising a tank, a concentric shell thereabout, thus providing an annular space open at the top, inert granular material positioned in the bottom of the space, a, perforated water-collecting pipe embedded in the inert granular material, a valve connected to 4 said pipe and a connection from said valve into the interior of the tank, zeolite grannies partly filling the remaining space, "and foraminous means confining said granules.

3. A washing machine comprising a tank, a

' concentric jacket thereabout, the outer wall of said jacket being higher than the wall of the tank, a cover for said jacket so disposed as to provide an inwardly extending flange for directing water overflowing from the jacket into the tank, a bed of inert granular material in the bottomof the jacket, a perforated water-distributing-pipe embedded in the inert material, zeolite granules partly filling the remaining space in the jacket, and'means for passing water into the perforated pipe.

40A washing machine comprising a central tank open completely across its top and thus consti'tuting the washing compartment thereof, an

agitator therein, a concentric shell surrounding tion with the bottom of the tank, zeolite granules within said jacket, a horizontal perforated watercollecting pipe in said jacket, and means for passing water collected by said pipe into the tub.

b. A washing machine comprising a cylindrical open tub, a concentric jacket thereabout rigidly connected with the tub so as to have no communication therewith at the bottom, a layer of gravel in the jacket, a perforated water-conducting pipe embedded in the gravel, a bed of zeolite granules supported by the gravel, means for passing'water through said gravel and granules, and means for directing thus softened water into the tub. EMIWE'IT J. CULLIGAN. 

